Libya: Eastern-based government tenders resignation amid protests September 13 /update 3

Event

On Sunday evening, September 13, the eastern-based interim government led by Prime Minister Abdulla Thinni tendered their resignation to the speaker of the House of Representatives amid continuing demonstrations in Benghazi, Marj, and other eastern cities over service delivery failures and worsening living conditions. The tender of resignation has been passed to the parliament for their consideration. Three days of demonstrations have seen roads blocked, rubbish and tires burned, and clashes between rival sets of protesters and with security forces. Government buildings have also been set on fire during the protests. The government's tender of resignation is an attempt to try and restore calm to the situation.

A heightened security presence is expected across eastern cities in the near term and further protests are likely, despite the government's tender of resignation.

Context

Protests in Benghazi in recent days were allegedly sparked by the diversion of fuel intended for the city's power stations by local officials, prompting claims of corruption from some activists. Fuel shortages are reported to have been a major factor behind widespread power outages that have occurred with increasing frequency in the city, as well as other eastern urban cities, in recent weeks, exacerbating wider problems with the region's fragile infrastructure.

Similar protests have been held in multiple towns and cities across Libya, including Tripoli, since June amid service delivery failures and deteriorating living conditions in both eastern and western urban centers. Although many of these demonstrations, particularly in the west of the country, have remained largely peaceful, communities have occasionally attempted to seize or disrupt electricity generation and other facilities in order to restore the supply.

Damage from years of conflict, lagging maintenance, and a lack of investment since the 2011 civil war have left Libya's electricity infrastructure in a poor state of repair. Inadequate electricity generation capacity in recent years has seen regular load-shedding outages of up to ten hours in some areas, with blackouts increasing in the summer months as high temperatures put additional strain on infrastructure. 

Advice

Those in the eastern region are advised to monitor developments, anticipate localized disruptions, and heed any directives issued by local authorities. All demonstrations and political gatherings in Libya should be avoided due to the risk of incidental violence and aggressive crowd-dispersal operations by security forces.

The security environment in Libya remains complex. Although travel is possible in some areas (with appropriate security protocols in place), other areas should be considered strictly off-limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.